New Member -- Tinnitus for 20+ Years

Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself. I've had tinnitus before I even knew what it was -- I've had it for at least 20 years, if not more. Mine is the "eeeeeeeee" at about 8hz from what I can tell. It's a constant in both ears.

Before I started looking it up recently, I didn't realize there were multiple sounds that came along with it. I'm assuming mine is from years of going to really loud punk shows previously. I don't really notice it unless I'm in a completely silent room or I actually think about it. You just learn to live with it.

Of course, I found some youtube videos showing what it's like to have this constant ringing in your ears, and after about two seconds, my wife was like, "Shut that off!! That's *really* annoying!!" So, no sympathy there.

I remember getting a hearing test when I was about 17-18, and learning that there's no cure. So, you know, it is what it is..

 

The outpouring of support is overwhelming. Hah.

 

I have lived with tinnitus for as long as I can remember (I'm 43 now). When I was little, I remember asking a friend if the ringing in their ears bothered them and they looked at me like I was crazy. After I got married I asked my husband how he slept at night with the constant ringing in his ears, because the ringing in mine was so annoying! It was then I figured out that not everyone has ringing in their ears! I now sleep with a box fan and a sound machine on at night.

I'm not sure which frequency mine is or how I would even begin to find that out. I haven't seen an ear doctor, as I don't think it affects my hearing- although my husband might disagree! Sorry you're having to deal with it! I have heard there are natural remedies- which I use for almost everything, but I've never tried any of the suggested therapies on my ears! If I try them and have success, I'll let you know!

 

I posted in a different thread, but this site is how I figured out my frequency:

http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

I don't know how to figure out the volume, though.

I always put on the TV no matter what room I'm in, which my wife thinks is a mixture of hilarious and compulsive. I'm wondering if it's maybe to drown out the permanent ringing, though..